Study: Dangerous chemicals not listed on labels of cleaning products

A first-of-its-kind study by environmental group Silent Spring Institute discovered dozens of potentially dangerous chemicals in common household products which are not required to be listed on the label.

The scientists searched for 66 chemicals considered to be hormone disrupters.

"What that means is that it can affect things like the development of our reproductive or nervous system," Silent Spring Scientist Dr. Robin Dodson said. "It can affect metabolism in our body. It can affect cancer. It can affect fertility."

Several of them have been shown to increase symptoms of asthma. Children, seniors and people with a compromised immune system are at the greatest risk.

The study included cleaning products, personal hygiene products, cosmetics, air fresheners and several household items.

All of the conventional products had one or more of the dangerous chemicals. Thirty-two of the 43 alternative products included the chemicals. Overall, 55 of the 66 chemicals were detected.

"Those chemicals have to go somewhere," Dodson said. "Depending upon their chemical properties, they may either end up in the air that we would then breathe or the dust that might settle around our house."

The house products with some of the most alarming levels of the chemicals were detected in pillow covers and vinyl shower curtains.

"If anyone's ever opened up a shower curtain out of a bag - you get a smell," Florida Atlantic University Senior Scientist Dr. Bill Louda said. "What's that smell?"

Said Dodson: "Fragrance products are where we found the highest levels of chemicals and the greatest number of chemicals.

"In terms of labeling, the company just needs to write the word 'fragrance' and that can, in fact, contain tens to a hundred different chemicals. They don't have to disclose exactly what is in that mix. It's deemed as proprietary or kind of a trade secret."

Added Louda: "The list of components in consumer products is far from from complete. The consumer's paying for these products. Do they not have the right to know what they're being exposed to?"

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